In order to understand the determinants of oral contraceptive (OC) use in Italy, we analyzed data on 1577 women aged under age 60 (median age 50 years) admitted as controls in a case-control study of breast cancer.

Included in this group were women with acute, non-neoplastic, nongynecologic, non-hormone-related diseases, admitted between 1991 and 1994 to a network of hospitals in six Italian centres.

A total of 275 (17.4%) women reported ever OC use.

Oral contraceptive use was strongly related to the level of education : in comparison with women reporting<7 years of schooling, the multivariate odds ratios (OR) of ever OC use were 2.2 and 3.5, respectively, in women reporting 7-11 and =12 years of schooling (khi21 trend 40.87 p<0.001).

OC use was inversely related to body mass index (BMI) : in comparison with leaner women (BMI, Kg/m2,<25), the OR of being an ever OC user was 0.8 and 0.7, respectively, in women with BMI 25-<30 and =30 (khi21 trend 3.36, p=0.07).

Parous women more frequently tended to be OC users than nulliparous ones, the estimated OR being 2.4 and 2.3, respectively, in women reporting 1 or 2 and 3 or more births in comparison with nulliparae.